Collection: John L. Wellington

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John Wellington was foremost a Cumberland, Maryland, banker whose hobby and greatest joy was in painting. In later years this early hobby became his all-consuming interest.

Denied the formal training he wished, and largely self-taught, he spent his vacations taking instruction in various phases of art. He enjoyed working with other artists in such summer colonies as Cape Cod, Provincetown and the Berkshires, and the winter one at Sarasota.

He was truly a native artist, capturing the architecture, countryside, and life of the people of his period and area in hundreds of sketches and paintings. His aim was excellence; he would make numerous studies of the same subject, searching always to interpret faithfully what he felt and saw to the best of his ability.

Mr. Wellington was forced to retire from business by a severe stroke in 1939 which left his right side paralyzed and speaking almost impossible. Despite this tragic handicap, which would have ended the career of a lesser man, he felt compelled to con­tinue with his art, however, training his left hand to replace the skill of his right.